McLaren ready for Malaysian tussle

McLaren say they are expecting Ferrari and Mercedes to be challenging for positions on the podium in Malaysia this weekend.

The two Formula 1 teams were left trailing in their wake by McLaren, Red Bull and even Renault last weekend as they failed to live up to their pre-season billing of title challengers.

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa finished fourth and seventh respectively but never got close to the first and second pairing of Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton.

Neither of the Mercedes finished the race – despite Michael Schumacher having set the best time during winter testing – but McLaren managing director Jonathan Neale says he expects both teams to come good.

“I am absolutely sure both those teams have more to bring,” said Neale.

“We watched each other carefully though winter testing and we are not imagining that we have seen the best of Ferrari or the best of Mercedes at this stage.

“Once we get to a circuit like Malaysia with much hotter track temperatures, we test the cars more fully.”